Don’t Wait for a Vacancy: Start Succession Planning Now

Succession planning isn’t just a future concern. It's quickly becoming one of the most urgent challenges facing planners today. Who steps into leadership, how they are prepared, and what systems are in place to support them can shape the long-term resilience of an organization.

In a recent American Planning Association (APA) Career Catalyst webinar moderated by Elizabeth Dickson, AICP, panelists Emily Liu, FAICP, Jill Lawhorne, AICP, and Robert McHaney, AICP, shared candid insights on navigating leadership transitions and understanding the impacts those shifts have on the people working on the team. The Succession Planning for Planners: Building the Next Generation of Leadership webinar is currently available to watch for free to all APA members, accessible through APA's Career Center.

From practical strategies to unexpected lessons learned, the conversation made one thing clear: succession planning is not just about filling roles, but also sustaining the people, knowledge, and relationships that make planning possible.

Building Resilience Before a Transition Happens

During the discussion, panelists emphasized that succession planning must be proactive, not reactive. With a major wave of leadership transition already underway, organizations that wait until a role is vacant are often left scrambling to maintain continuity. Baby Boomers make up 76 million workers, and the anticipated "silver tsunami" referred to in APA's 2025 Trend Report for Planners could leave the workforce with significant gaps and shortages with wide-ranging effects. Therefore, addressing these challenges before those impacts cause lasting harm is vital.

"There's a large leadership transition that's currently underway, and if there isn't a successful transition of leadership, I know that there's a lot of risk and pressure involved."
— Elizabeth Dickson, AICP

One of the most actionable shifts organizations can make is expanding their definition of succession planning. It is not only about executive roles. Mid-level planners, who often hold critical operational knowledge and manage day-to-day work, are just as essential. When they leave without a plan in place, the disruption can be immediate and far-reaching.

Just as important is how knowledge is captured and shared. Too many organizations rely on institutional memory that exists only in an individual's head. Documenting processes, creating shared templates, and building habits of reflection, such as post-project debriefs, can ensure that knowledge stays within the organization rather than walking out the door.

"When we lose people, it's not just that staffer that we're losing. We're losing the context that they have learned about the community, [and] we can lose public trust."
— Jill Lawhorne, AICP

For those who find themselves stepping into leadership without a clear succession plan, start by listening. Engage staff to understand what matters most and where immediate attention is needed. Bring people along in the process. Change is more effective when it is collaborative rather than imposed.

Developing People, Not Just Replacements

Succession planning is ultimately about people. The strongest organizations are not those with perfect org charts, but those that invest in developing their staff over time.

Panelists pointed to mentorship as a cornerstone of this work. Effective mentorship is not a one-way transfer of knowledge, but a reciprocal relationship that evolves over a career. It requires intention and capacity from both mentors and mentees. Leaders who want to build strong teams must make space for these relationships, not treat them as an afterthought.

"Fostering future leaders is very essential. My own career has been shaped by the generosity of mentors, colleagues, and leaders who invested in me."
— Emily Liu, FAICP

At the same time, organizations must rethink how they approach career growth. Advancement does not always mean moving up a ladder. Creating flexible, transparent pathways allows staff to build a range of skills and experiences, from technical expertise to management and constituent engagement. These varied experiences prepare planners for leadership in a meaningful and sustainable way.

The panelists also emphasized that growth cannot be rushed. Promoting someone before they are ready can create gaps not only in their new role but also in the one they leave behind. Supporting professional development over time, rather than accelerating it prematurely, benefits both individuals and organizations.

Unexpected Insights That Matter

Beyond the expected strategies, several insights challenged common assumptions about succession planning.

One was the idea that knowledge hoarding is often less about maintaining power and more about insecurity. When staff feel that their value is tied to what only they know, they may be less willing to share. Addressing this requires building a culture of trust and reinforcing that collaboration, not exclusivity, is what strengthens an organization.

Another is the continued importance of critical thinking in an increasingly technology-driven field. While tools can streamline processes, they cannot replace the judgment required to navigate complex community dynamics, political landscapes, and human relationships. Investing in these skills remains essential.

Panelists also emphasized that context matters deeply in planning work. Understanding a community's history, values, and relationships takes time and cannot be easily transferred. This makes relationship-building a critical component of succession planning. Without it, transitions risk eroding trust as much as they disrupt operations.

A Collective Responsibility

Succession planning is not the responsibility of a single leader. It is an ongoing, shared effort that requires intention at every level of an organization. It calls for honest conversations about career goals, a willingness to invest in others, and systems that prioritize continuity and growth.

"Planners are the backbone to our society and [they] get to now become someone [who] can give back."
— Robert McHaney, AICP

As the profession continues to evolve, so too must the way it prepares its future leaders. With thoughtful planning, strong mentorship, and a commitment to knowledge sharing, organizations can move through leadership transitions not with uncertainty, but with confidence.

Top image: PeopleImages iStock / Getty Images Plus.